A German police officer was convicted of murder for killing a man he met in an internet chat forum devoted to cannibalism.

A regional court in the eastern city of Dresden sentenced Detlev G, whose last name has not been released, to eight years and six months in prison, court spokesman Ralf Hoegner said.

Judges concluded that the policeman killed a 59-year-old businessman from Hannover in November 2013 "to fulfil his sexual desires", Mr Hoegner said.

Prosecutors said the Polish-born victim had fantasised about being eaten, but there was no evidence the suspect actually did so.

The defendant, who worked as a police handwriting expert, denied murder and said the victim killed himself.

The killing took place at a small hotel south of Dresden owned by the defendant, who filmed himself dismembering the corpse.

He later deleted the video, but police were able to reconstruct it. In the video, the policeman could be heard saying "I never thought I'd sink so low."

Comparisons have been drawn to the case of confessed German cannibal Armin Meiwes, who was arrested for the killing of an internet acquaintance more than a decade ago.

Meiwes, who captured the killing on video, said his victim answered an internet posting seeking a young man for "slaughter and consumption".

Meiwes was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He argued unsuccessfully to Germany's highest court that the killing should be classified as a mercy killing and maintained that his sentence was disproportionate.